Fell Seal is exactly what I always wanted from this genre.
The game has everything what made FF Tactics and Tactics Ogre great, from the robust class system, map design with elevation and such, combat mechanics and elements, exploration and team building, to story pieces in-between missions. No gimmicks and no cards mechanic, it's truly inspired by FF Tactics at its very core.
That said, Fell Seal is not exactly a copy, as they also added some (optional) mechanics, including the injury system. If a character falls in a battle, they will be injured and get gimped stats if you choose to deploy them in the next battle. It's there to encourage having a substitute character ready just in case. It also encourages you to try different kind of characters and classes. Consumables also work differently here, as they replenish after each combat so you can freely use them to as you see fit. Instead of obtaining stronger consumables, you can upgrade them in the crafting menu.Speaking of crafting, there are lots of stuff to craft too, from consumables to gears and accessories.
The game gets harder the further you progress, especially since the enemies are more varied and consisted of more endgame jobs combination. The AI is also pretty smart and will fully utilize their tools and the map conditions. However, it doesn't stop you from breaking the game with OP jobs combination too. If you like managing your party, you'll spend a lot of time tinkering in the party menu. Each job is unique and there are lots of job synergies that you can try. It's the highlight of the game for me.
Sadly, the story is not that great. It's serviceable at best. I like the characters, but they didn't really develop throughout the game. If they can hire better writers and get bigger budget (for VA, for example), their next game could become a masterpiece in the genre.
